The present invention relates to suspension assemblies for supporting a head in disc drives, and more particularly to an apparatus to reduce windage-induced vibration of the head by routing an interconnect assembly along a leading edge of the suspension assembly.
In a disc drive system, air currents are induced when one or more discs are rotating at high speeds. The air currents, or windage, cause undesirable effects, such as causing components in the system to vibrate. Such vibration is undesirable because it can introduce errors in the performance of the disc drive. One component that is adversely affected by this windage-induced vibration is the suspension assembly. The suspension assembly is used to support/suspend a recording/reading head, and is mated with an interconnect assembly, which is used to electrically connect the recording/reading head to disc drive electronics which are disposed away from the recording/reading head and off the suspension assembly.
One type of interconnect assembly is a flex on suspension, or flex circuit. Flex circuit type of interconnect assemblies are a separately fabricated printed circuit that is subsequently assembled to the suspension assembly, e.g., using an adhesive material. The flex circuit is relatively less expensive and easier to manufacture than the other types of interconnect assemblies.
Other types of interconnect assemblies are twisted wires, trace suspension assemblies and circuit integrated suspension. Twisted wires assemblies are a bundle of wires glued to the suspension assembly. A trace suspension assembly includes a unitary steel gimbal with electrical traces that is welded onto the suspension assembly. A circuit integrated suspension assembly deposits traces directly onto the suspension assembly by a sputtering process.
In general, the flex circuit is mated to a finished suspension assembly. The flex circuit is quite flexible along its entire length. The head portion of the flex circuit is attached to the suspension. However, the tail portion of the flex circuit is generally not attached to the suspension and hangs freely.
FIG. 1 shows a partial view of a disc drive system 110 of the prior art, including a suspension assembly 120 mated to an interconnect assembly 118. The suspension assembly 120 includes a windward edge 130 oriented towards the incoming direction A of airflow induced by a rotating disc 112 and also includes a leeward, or trailing, edge 132 oriented opposite the incoming direction A of airflow. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the interconnect assembly 118 is mated to the suspension assembly 120, and has a tail 143 that runs along the leeward edge 132 of the suspension assembly 120. The interconnect assembly 118 electrically couples a head 122 supported by the suspension assembly 120 to a control circuit 116 located remotely from the head 122. An overhang section 121 of the tail 143 is located adjacent to the leeward edge 132 of the suspension assembly 120 and extends transversely from the leeward edge 132. This arrangement allows for the interconnect assembly 118 to connect with control circuitry 116 located off the suspension assembly 120.
As the data density on the disc is continually increasing, it becomes more critical to eliminate or reduce factors that introduce error into the head reading and writing data. Since vibration of the suspension assembly is one factor that affects the operation of the head, a need exists for reducing windage-induced vibration of the head caused by the suspension assembly.
Against this backdrop the present invention has been developed. In one example embodiment, the invention is directed to an apparatus for reducing windage-induced vibration in a disc drive having a rotating disc, wherein the disc has an inner and an outer diameter. The apparatus includes a suspension assembly supporting a head and having a first and a second edge, the first edge being oriented towards the disc inner diameter when the suspension assembly is assembled into the disc drive. The apparatus further includes an interconnect assembly mated to the suspension assembly. The interconnect assembly includes a tail and the tail includes an overhang section located adjacent to and extending transversely from the first edge of the suspension assembly.
In another example embodiment, the invention is directed to a disc drive system including a rotating disc having an inner and an outer diameter, and a suspension assembly supporting a head and having a first edge disposed towards the disc inner diameter and a second edge disposed towards the disc outer diameter. The system further includes an interconnect assembly for electrically connecting the head to electronic control circuitry, wherein the interconnect assembly includes a tail having an overhang section located adjacent to and extending transversely from the first edge of the suspension assembly.
Another example embodiment is directed to a system for reducing windage-induced vibration of a suspension assembly, wherein the suspension assembly includes a windward edge. The system includes a head supported on the suspension assembly, with the head being in electrical contact with electronic control circuitry. The system further includes means for reducing windage-induced vibration located on the windward edge of the suspension assembly, with the means containing a conductive path between the head and the electronic control circuitry.
These and various other features as well as advantages which characterize the present invention will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings.